Zotero and Docear

Le Dinh Truong Son
Hello everyone,

Currently, i am using both zotero and docear in my PC1 and they are working well together. i used below method to integrate zotero into docear: https://www.docear.org/faqs/how-to-use-zotero-and-docear-at-the-same-time/


However, all the pdf documents that i imported from zotero to docear cannot be opened after i sync it in PC2. Do you have any idea on this problem?

Thanks a lot :)
  • noksagt
    It is not clear to me how you have files stored. Are they attachments kept in the Zotero storage directory or are they links? The latter doesn't sync through Zotero and you must use a third party tool.

    It is also not clear to me how you are trying to sync the files. Zotero file syncing? WebDAV? Something else? ARe you sure the file sync is setup on both machines? If syncing to zotero.org or a server, are the files there?
  • Le Dinh Truong Son
    Thank for your response.

    Because my database is quite large, so i use googledrive to sync papers. The zotero settings on both PCs are the same and zotero storage directory is in goodledrive, too. All the files have been sync by google drive before opening zotero...
  • adamsmith
    This sounds like a Docear issue since the problem is that you can't open the PDFs from _Docear_. Looking at the instructions, it'd seem like you'd have to tell Docear where the Zotero folder is on both computers. Have you done that?

    (Note, btw., that you should _not_ use google drive or any sync service other than Zotero to sync your data folder as it sounds you are; you're very likey to corrupt your database and we can't really help you as long as you're doing that).
  • noksagt
    edited August 17, 2016
    This has nothing to do with Docear if you can't open the PDFs within Zotero on computer 2.

    You still don't say whether you're using attachments or links. I'll assume the former.

    Note that you do not want to sync your zotero.sqlite database via google drive. See https://www.zotero.org/support/sync#alternative_syncing_solutions

    On computer 2, you should go to Zotero preferences, go to the advanced tab, select the "files and folders" sub-tab, and click "show data directory". If you don't see a storage directory with your files, then presumably you need to fix things.

    On computer 2, you should also be able to navigate to your google drive directory & see if the PDFs are being synced. If they are not, you'd need to refer to google drive's support resources for more help.
  • adamsmith
    I understand

    However, all the pdf documents that i imported from zotero to docear cannot be opened after i sync it in PC2.
    to mean they don't open from Docear, not that they don't open from Zotero, but I can of course be wrong. Le Dinh would have to clarify.
  • Le Dinh Truong Son
    Hello everyone,

    Thanks a lot for your advises.

    in PC1:
    i disabled the File Syncing for both my library and group library.
    in Files and Folders -> Data Directory Location -> custom, i selected my google drive.
    and i use Autozotbib to make the exchange file between zotero and docear.

    in PC2: the same configuration as PC1.

    All zotero and docear data are located in google drive.

    In PC2, i can open pdf files in zotero, but i cannot open them in docear. The files were embedded in docear by dropping the reference in the right panel what was imported from a .bib file. i still can find the file name in the reference list in docear, but i cannot open the file in my map. i think the hyperlink is broken...

    If zotero has a mind mapping tool, then it can be the best reference manager. I have read a lot of things like that in the forum.

    Anyway, thank for your great support :)
  • adamsmith
    Yeah, so what I say above:
    a) you really shouldn't sync Zotero the way you do; it's not supported and very likely to corrupt your database.
    b) If the files open in Zotero but not in Docear, you'll really have to ask them.
  • noksagt
    edited August 17, 2016
    in Files and Folders -> Data Directory Location -> custom, i selected my google drive.
    See the documentation I linked to. The way that you have described this suggests that Google Drive is syncing the sqlite database, which is very bad.
    In PC2, i can open pdf files in zotero, but i cannot open them in docear.
    Then adamsmith is correct & you will need to rely on Docear for support on this issue, as it sounds like Zotero is working as intended.

    EDIT:and this is my second post in this thread that adamsmith was able to post a response before I finished mine....
  • Le Dinh Truong Son
    Thanks you, now i understand the problem.

    May i ask that can zotero sync video or other file formats than pdf into server?
  • adamsmith
    Zotero file sync can handle any file type, yes.
Sign In or Register to comment.